Christopher Hume surveys Toronto's "mid-rise crisis" and asks why the city has made it nearly impossible to build "the urban residential form par excellence."
Bemoaning the dearth of six- to eight-storey development, Hume blames overzealous NIMBYs and the "outdated and excessive parking requirements, emergency exit regulations and construction techniques that make the economics of mid-rise so tough."
Hume speaks with architect Roland Rom Colthoff, whose firm RAW Design has a number of mid-rise condos in the works, and more on the horizon, about the struggles of working with the city and the growing demand for the housing type.
"There's an explosion of interest in mid-rise right now," he [Colthoff] insists. "The price of condos makes these projects viable. Plus there's a cultural shift going on; there are new ideas about sociability in the city. Mid-rise buildings are not for investors but people who want to be part of a neighbourhood and what's happening."
FULL STORY: Hume: Is Toronto having a mid-rise crisis?
Condo Development Controversy Goes Viral in Toronto
The controversy over a proposed eight-story condo development in Toronto embroiled author Margaret Atwood this week.
Neighborhood Activists Mobilize Against Mid-Rise Developments in Toronto
There are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments raising prices, and there are neighborhoods where residents are concerned about new developments lowering home values. Toronto is currently dealing with the latter.
Mid-Rise: Density at a Human Scale
All growing cities must find ways to develop at appropriate, transit-supporting densities without overwhelming the surrounding context. The human-scaled, mid-rise building can be a solution—but achieving a good neighbourhood “fit” is not easy.
Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.
Knoxville Dedicates $1M to New Greenway
The proposed greenway would run along North Broadway and connect to 125 miles of existing trails.
Philadelphia Launches ‘Speed Slots’ Traffic Calming Pilot
The project focuses on a 1.4-mile stretch of Lincoln Drive where cars frequently drive above the posted speed limit.
NYC Delivery ‘Microhubs’ Aim to Cut Down on Truck Pollution
The hubs are designed to provide parking for large delivery trucks, which can pass on their cargo to bikes or other zero-emission vehicles.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions